Jean-Marc Gounon started in Formule Renault in 1985, finishing 10th behind such luminaries as Eric Bernard, Erik Comas and Jean Alesi. In 1986 he finished runner-up to Comas, winning two races and started the 1987 season as championship favorite, but he was again runner-up again to Claude Degremont. He moved to F3 in 1988, but Comas dominated that year. He joined the ORECA team in 1989 and ran away with the title, winning five races.
He graduated to Formula 3000 in 1990 with a Mansell Madgwick Reynard and did well, finishing third at Hockenheim and for 1991 joined to Mike Earle's 3001 team and began the year with a victory at Pau. The Ralt, however did not compare with the Reynard and Gounon finished only sixth in the championship. In 1992 he raced with Jean-Paul Driot's DAMS team, winning at Magny-Cours and finishing sixth in the championship again. Although he tested for the Larrousse F1 team he was forced to sit out most of the 1993 season after being nominated for the March F1 team, which failed to appear. Towards the end of the year he replaced Christian Fittipaldi at Minardi.
In 1994 he raced in French touring cars but thanks to money from the French government he was able to drive a few more races for the Simtek team in 1994. He then drifted out of F1 and began a successful career in sportscar racing.